A life to Remember
by xMisguided Heartx
Summary: When Kara Salvatore meets a mysterious and handsome stranger her life changes forever, but who is he? And why is he so familiar to her?
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Hi Everyone, so this is my very first fanfiction. I've always liked Kol and was a little upset when they killed him off, I thought he was such a great character that they could have done more with him. Well I hope you like this. It's a bit of an AU because I really didn't want to go in line with the episodes...just so you know...;) Please let me know what you think...good or bad...:) **

**Disclaimer: I don't own the vampire diaries...just done for fun...non-profit...:)**

Mystic Falls

October 4th 1855

It was a stormy evening in the town of mystic falls. The weather had been unsettled for the past few days but tonight it seemed to become really strong. The wind rushed through the streets giving out rushing and roaring noises. Georgianna Salvatore sat in the living room next to the large raging fire that had been lit hours ago. Her eight-year-old daughter lay next to her with her head on her lap listening intently at the story her Mother was reading from the pretty illustrated book. It was old but not tattered, a book that had maybe only had a handful of owners before. Other than the servants that lived and worked in the mansion it was just the two of them in the house tonight. Giuseppe Salvatore, Georgianna's husband had taken the two eldest children, Damon and Stefan with him on a twice-monthly hunting trip he went on with the Lockwood men. Benjamin Lockwood was the mayor of the town and his son George was the same age as Damon and went to the same prestigious school as him. They seemed to compete with each other with a lot of things but their friendship had been thrust upon them by the fact that their fathers were friends.

Georgianna paused in the story of how a boy named Jack discovered a magically land upon a beanstalk when a flash of lightning illuminated the room. She could feel her daughter flinch and looked down at her with a smile.

"Do not fear the lightning Kara, it cannot hurt you as long as I am here".

Kara smiled up at her Mother.

"I'm not afraid. Please continue the story Mama"

Georgianna caressed her daughter's head where her blond hair met her young innocent face. Tired blue eyes, eyes that her daughter shared with her eldest son looked up at her.

"I think it's time for bed my dear"

"Oh but Mama, Jack was just about to meet the giant" Kara argued sitting bolt upright.

Georgianna looked at her daughter and chuckled.

"I thought you hadn't read this story before?".

Kara looked like she had been caught in a lie and thought quickly.

"I have not, Damon just told me about it once but he didn't tell me the ending, honest"

"Hmm, well we'll just have to leave the rest of Jack's adventures for another night" Georgianna concluded closing the book and propping it on the coffee table in front of the couch.

"Very well Mama" Kara said defeated stifling a yawn "Goodnight".

"Goodnight my darling" she said kissing her daughter on the top of her head.

It couldn't have been much later when Kara awoke to the sounds of frantic screams and voices emanating from the floor above her. She had never heard such a sound before in her young life. Her heart hammered in her chest as a wave of fear swept over her. Many ghost stories that her brothers had told her to frighten her entered her mind first, she had conclude that there was no truth to them, but what if she had been wrong? The rain still battered hard against the windows and it didn't look like the storm had died down much. She flinched as the thunder roared again but the curiosity got the better of her.

It was pitch black in her room but she found her way to the hallway outside her door where the light from the gas lamps made it possible for her to see. The voices were scared and panicked and suddenly she could hear footsteps running down the stairs from the third floor towards her Mother's bedroom.

It was her mother's ladies maid Elisa, she was in her nightdress and running down the non-servants staircase from the third floor or the servants quarters which was definitely unheard of. She pounded on Georgianna's door hard and Kara looked a little shocked to see the usual quiet demeanour of the maid become very frenzied and anxious. It didn't take long for Georgianna to answer her door, Kara figured that the ruckus must have awoken her as well. Kara stayed hidden in the shadows while she listened, she knew if she was found out that she would just be sent back to bed again anyway.

"Elisa what..?"

Georgianna began before Elisa cut her off.

"I'm sorry Madam, but we need you upstairs, it's urgent, it's Donna" she said breathlessly.

Kara knew of Donna. She had worked in the kitchens for over twenty years. She had made her a really nice birthday cake last year for her birthday and snuck them crackers and cheese when any of them were sent to bed with no dinner, which happened to Damon more often than she or Stefan.

"Is everything alright?" Georgianna asked pulling her robe tightly around her and tying it with the silk rope.

"Please Ma'am. The doctor had already been sent for, we just don't know what to do".

Georgianna nodded and followed Elisa up the stairs not batting an eyelid at the fact that her closest maid was using the family staircase. Kara tip-toed after them.

She had only ever been up to the third floor twice. Once when she had been too young to know any different, she had wandered up there when her nanny had been otherwise occupied. She had been scolded and disciplined for her actions by Frau Schimer and promised never to do it again. The second was when she and her brothers had been playing hide and go seek and she couldn't think of any places in which to hide. She had stayed hidden for over an hour until Stefan had shouted around the house that he had given up and she had won. She hadn't let him forget that feat, even when he had told her that she had technically cheated as they weren't allowed in the servant's quarters.

The Salvatore's were one of the wealthiest families in Mystic Falls, with the exception of maybe the Lockwood's but they kept a modest size staff for the size of the estate. They had a total of twelve indoor staff, four outdoor staff and two carriage drivers that also maintained them and the horses.

Georgianna stopped outside the third door and waited as a woman Kara knew as Ms Leyton exited the room. She looked dishevelled, her hair messy and her night clothes askew.

Ms. Leyton was the cook of the house and usually looked immaculate, having her greying brown hair pinned back all of the time and even her apron remained unstained. Now, however she looked flustered, frightened and even unsure.

It was now that Kara noticed, from behind the corner wall that most of the staff were up and walking the halls most still in their uniforms and others half dressed in night clothes. Something was definitely wrong and Kara at her young age could tell this. This made her feel slightly insecure. Usually when she felt like this she would run to her brothers and they would console her. The age gap may have been a little more than what her brothers shared together but she felt close to them. Damon had just turned fourteen in June and Stefan would be ten in November. She however would not turn eight until May.

It was then when Doctor Marsh rushed passed her, without even giving her a backwards glance. He seemed stressed with worry lines creasing on his face. He spoke to Georgianna for a few seconds in words that Kara didn't even pretend to understand before rushing into the room Ms. Leyton had emerged from. The staff looked worried and Kara realised that something must be very wrong.

Kara watched and waited for Doctor Marsh to return. Her Mother had grown gaunt with worry and the other staff paced and wandered the corridor.

He emerged from attending to the maid Donna Cleary after several minutes. He had a cloth held to his mouth and nose and was pale. He turned to both Georgianna and Ms. Leyton taking the cloth down slowly. The look was all they needed to know. He looked into both their eyes with his own darkly rimmed bagged ones and shook his head.

Ms. Leyton and Elisa both broke down in tears while, Kevin Thompson, the aging butler of the house consoled the former. Doctor Marsh took Georgianna to the side, away from the scene yet closer to Kara's hiding place.

"She's…?"

"Dead, yes I'm afraid so" Doctor Marsh finished "You'll need to lime the body, burn all of her things, the bed sheets, everything. Make sure that anyone that comes in contact with the body holds something up to their mouths and nose".

"Why?" Georgianna began "Is it contagious?" she asked her voice laced with concern.

Doctor Marsh looked forlorn.

"It's an epidemic. It's already affected most families in Mystic Falls. The death toll is still rising but including Miss Cleary in there it's already at seventeen".

Georgianna looked shocked, her face ashen.

"Why have we not heard of this before now?" she asked, angry now that nobody had been given any forewarning.

"Mayor Lockwood is out of town but deputy Mayor Throve insisted that we not cause a panic".

"Does Mayor Lockwood even know about this?" Georgianna asked her voice full of hostility.

"I'm sure he has been informed of the situation by Mr Throve"

"Well I'm not" Georgianna snapped striding passed the doctor and passed Kara's hiding place.

Dr Marsh followed after her.

"My husband and sons are with Mayor Lockwood as we speak, if Mayor Lockwood knew then my husband would too and he would not leave his wife and daughter helpless. He would have sent word, sent for us to join him".

Kara could see her march back down the stairs. She looked determined, like she was on a mission as she made her way to Giuseppe's office.

Gazing over the banister she could see her mother briskly writing on the letter paper her father used for business purposes.

She thrust it into Dr Marsh's hand sans an envelope.

"You make sure my husband gets that letter" Georgianna said an edge of anger in her voice.

"How?" Dr Marsh asked a little insure.

"There's a messenger boy that works for the post office, give it to him have him delivery personally to my husband".

Dr Marsh looked at her hard as if debating with something in his head.

Georgianna noticed this.

"What is it?"

Again he did not speak.

"Speak plainly Doctor" she urged a little harsher than expected.

"The town has been quarantined" he said in his usual matter of fact tone" As of six o'clock this evening no one is allowed in or out of Mystic Falls until further notice"

Georgianna held her hands to her mouth in shock. Silence passed in the seconds that followed.

"You know that that's going to kill a lot more people than save" Georgianna spat back.

"It'll save the neighbouring towns, besides it wasn't my decision. You can thank deputy Mayor Throve for that decision"

"He is a spineless half-wit" she seethed. Kara had never heard her mother speak of someone in such an ill manner.

"He may be, but he is our only hope" Dr Marsh said.

"Also you know what that means right? Your husband will not be allowed back into the town until this disaster is dealt with. You need to take control here"

A barge of tears broke through Georgianna's eyes. She was feeling two very strong emotions at present. Mind numbing fear, over herself and of Kara and the second, relief that she did not have to worry about her husband or sons catching the deadly fever.

Wiping her eyes quickly she nodded at the medical man. Taking a deep breath she replied strongly.

"I will, have no fear, we will do what is right here".

With that Dr Marsh nodded and left the house.

Kara could see her Mother let out a pained sigh and leant herself against the desk. She was nervous and for now so was Kara for her Mother was never nervous.

She could see her mother take a deep breath and push herself off the desk, her posture becoming perfect once more. Taking Kara by surprise she glanced upwards towards the stairs catching her daughter in her trance.

"Kara? What are you doing out of bed?"

Her tone wasn't angry or upset but more concerned.

Kara froze for a moment before answering and decided it would be better just to tell the truth.

"I heard noises Mama, screams" she had only realised once it had left her mouth that her voice had quivered.

"Oh darling" Georgianna sighed making her way up the staircase to the place beside the banister that her daughter occupied.

"Donna's….dead?" she asked slowly.

Georgianna nodded sadly. She cupped her daughters face.

"God has taken her to be beside him now, she's in a better place".

Kara nodded and smiled a small sad smile at her mother.

"Now to bed with you child, everything will right itself in the morning just you wait and see"

"But I want to stay and help you" Kara began to argue.

"There is nothing you can do but go and get a good night's rest, do it for me, alright?"

Kara nodded and through her arms around her mother.

"I love you Mama" she said as her mother tightened her embrace around her.

"I love you too my baby girl" Georgianna replied her voice cracking with emotion.

**Don't worry Kol will be in it soon, I just think that it needed some back story. I really hope you liked it, please let me know! :) xxxxx**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Hey everyone..So here's chapter two. Thank you so much to those how reviewed my story...My first every reviews so they really mean a lot. And to the people who faved and followed it, means a lot to know that there is actually people interested in reading this when there is so many good stories out there. :) Hope you like this part also. **

A week had passed since Donna's death. Elisa, another long serving maid named Christine and the butler Kevin had all succumbed to the illness. She tried to put on a brave face but Kara could see that her mother was tired. She stayed up at night watching over whoever it was that was sick and spent the days bleaching sheets, scrubbing floors and walls and scrimping together whatever was in the cupboards for meals. Kara tried to help but she mostly stayed up in her room and out of direct contact with other people, just as her mother had directed her to. Every day Kara would awake and gaze longingly out the window for any new carriages on the streets or people in traveling cloaks to see if there was any indication of the quarantine being lifted. No such luck.

More and more smoke could be seen bellowing from behind nearby houses. She knew from their own experience what that meant. The burning of bodies.

She sighed to herself only praying that wherever her father and brothers were, that they were safe. She had begun writing in her journal several times of the events but she didn't know how to start. The book she had been reading 'Jack and the beanstalk' lay untouched on her bed-side table. She didn't have the heart to continue it without her mother reading it to her. All in all she felt utterly useless. Sometimes, when she knew everyone else was otherwise occupied she would venture out to the stables and spend her days with the many horses there. Some days she would be gone so long that the skies would be a darkened grey colour when she would return. No one would notice her absence, they were occupied with much more imported things. But today, however was different.

Maisie Hale the fifteen-year-old daughter of their closet neighbour had died late last night and so no one was allowed to venture outside while the remains were being disposed of. It was the norm and somehow something the eight-year-old had now come accustom to. She prayed every night, much like she suspected everyone in the town of Mystic falls did for this nightmare to be finally over.

A sudden scream in the hallway directly outside her bedroom made her heart jolt in fear and break her out of her trance. She had been trying to write in her journal once again but threw both book and quill to the floor as she got up.

"Quick…fetch Dr Marsh right now" a panicked voice yelled from outside her room. She couldn't tell who the woman was speaking to only the fact that hurried footsteps followed immediately after that. Kara rushed closer to the door and turned the knob slowly afraid of what she might see. Two servants were now gathered around someone who had collapsed on the floor. Kara could see that it was a woman, pale skin, light hair, rings on her finger that looked almost like her Mother's wedding ring. Her dress was a pale green, one that sort of looked identical to the one her mother wore sometimes except her mothers' had a small stain on the hem from when she had spilt a well of ink on. Exactly like this one seemed to have.

Kara moved closer to the strange woman, whose face she still hadn't seen. This strange woman whom her mother had given her dress to. It was then when one of the servants turned to see her. It was Alice, Her and Stefan's nanny. She was one of the youngest on staff but the now the worry lines on her face made her look ten years older.

"Daisy" she said referring to the other servant that had gathered on the floor with her.

The other woman looked at her through tearful eyes.

"Get her away from here"

It took Kara a moment to realise that Alice was referring to her.

'Why?' she thought to herself. She had seen poor Donna when she had passed. The last week the house had been full of death. Why now should she be sheltered from the effects of this disease?

It was as soon as Daisy stood from her position on the floor that she realised why. It was like a wave of ice water had hit her. Her arms and legs covered themselves in goose bumps and shivers shot up her spine.

Tears pooled in her eyes almost immediately as her heart wrenched.

"Mama?" she asked moving closer to the still figure.

Her mother lay motionless on the wooden floor. Her golden hair askew around her face and neck and had come loose from its restraints on her head to pool around her. She was pale and sweaty and her lips had gone an ungodly colour of blue.

"Mama!" she screamed trying to alert her mother, trying to awaken her from her deathly slumber.

It was at that point, with Kara struggling in the arms of Daisy who was trying to wrestle her back to her room that Alice intervened and helped her friend.

Kara was screaming and crying so much that she didn't hear what they were trying to say to her. All she wanted was her mother to come and hold her.

"Shh child shh" Alice tried to console wiping her unrelenting tears from her eyes and trying to brush her hair from her face "Listen, you need to listen to us".

"No" she screamed trying to get passed, trying to get to her mother.

"Your mother is gone now sweetheart, she's in a better place" Alice said in the most soothing tone she could muster.

"No" Kara cried crumbling in Daisy's arms "Mama!"

She must have blacked out after that, fainted from grief for the next thing she remembered was awaking in her bed. It must have been hours later for the sky was darkening with charcoal and blue tones. Her face was still wet with tears and she had made a small puddle on her pillow from the steady stream of moisture from her eyes. Alice sat on the small green armchair across the room. Her position upon it looked uncomfortable indicating that she had fallen asleep of pure exhaustion. It was when Kara tried to conceal a sob that she awoke.

"Miss?" she asked groggily "Is there anything I can get you? A meal perhaps?"

Kara shook her head. The last thing she could think about was food. Her throat felt sore and scratchy. She supposed that was from the screaming she had done earlier.

"Where's Mama?" she asked her voice sound reflecting on how it felt.

Alice didn't answer for a moment, only looking at her shoes and rubbing her hands together nervously. When she did reply she couldn't seem to look at Kara in the eye. No one had even noticed that Georgianna Salvatore had contracted the influenza and so shame was now shared throughout the staff.

"We put her….remains in her bedroom for the time being miss" She replied standing and fidgeting nervously.

"So it was not a dream"

"No miss"

"When will my father return?" she asked the dischevelled maid.

"I'm not entirely sure, some say that the quarantine will be lifted soon but so many people are still sick.

"I just want my family back" she cried into her pillow.

Alice looked upon her unsure of what to do, of where to place herself to make the young girl feel better.

"Sleep now miss, it is getting late. Things might be a little better in the morning, just wait and see". With that Alice departed the room leaving Kara to hopefully better dreams.

_When she awoke again she was standing in the middle of an unlevelled field which was strange since she vaguely remembered going to sleep in her own bed and she was never one to sleep walk. _

_"__What the..?" she asked herself gazing around her. Her estate was nowhere to be seen from where she was standing and she had no idea how she had got here. Her attire was unusual, nice but extremely old fashioned, something someone donned in the dark ages she would have thought maybe even before that. _

_'__I must be dreaming' she thought to herself. It was odd, the dream felt very lifelike. She could feel the crisp air on her face and feel chills every time the wind blew her hair. The clouds were grey and full in the sky and she could almost feel the dampness in the air._

_As she squinted at her surroundings two figures could be seen running out of a tree-lined area of the meadow. They were shouting and waving at her, broad smiles on their child-like faces.__They were around her age, maybe a little older but not by much._

_As they got closer she began to hear what they were shouting to her._

_"__Kara, what are you doing?!" the girl yelled, giddiness in her voice "Run, Elijah is sure to find you there". She didn't know how but her body took over, seemingly knowing exactly what to do, like it was a play acted out every night and she knew her part from the beginning._

_"__I was awaiting you two" she said her voice betraying her confusion as she ran with the boy and the girl "If you ran any slower you would be traveling backwards" she laughed taking off across the field._

_They were playing a game of sorts she understood now. They were to run and hide while another by the name of Elijah was to come and find them. They had obviously had a head start because she could not see Elijah anywhere behind them._

_Suddenly the boy grabbed her by the arm and pulled her along another path, unseen by her at first. The little girl travelled on ahead not once glancing back at where her two comrades had gone._

_"__Kol where are we going? I do not know this route" she said still running fast behind him._

_He smiled looking back at her his dark hair brushing into his face at times._

_"__I have a secret hiding place up ahead" he said smiling broadly "Only I know about it, it'll be a perfect spot to hide. Trust me"_

_She smiled back, like she had been suddenly invited into a masterful plan._

_"__I always do"_

_They ran on for a few metres until they were in a small clearing concealed by tall trees. She could hear the rushing of water and knew they were somewhere near a stream or waterfall. _

_Kol released her and ran up ahead to a hill like area that was covered in shrubs._

_"__What about 'Bekah?" she asked in hush voice afraid they might be uncovered by the dawdling Elijah._

_"__She always claims victory in this sport, but this time is different, no one knows of this place but I and now you" he smiled._

_It was now she only noticed what he was doing. He was removing large branches from a concealed opening of a large cavern in the rocks._

_"__Goodness" she gasped at the find "However did you find this place?"_

_"__I stumbled across it when I was gathering fire wood for Father one day, I covered it up to hide it" he beamed at her interest in his new fort._

_"__Is it a wolf hide?" she asked curiously knowing full well that every full moon her family, the Mikaelson's and a few others had to take shelter from a curse that turned some of the villagers into deadly beasts that would hunt them down and kill them if they were seen._

_"__I'm not sure" Kol answered gazing into the caves dark interior "It looks like one but it is certainly not one that any of us created"._

_"__Maybe it's older" Kara suggested happily entering the confines of the cave interior._

_"__Careful Kara we do not know what's in there" he warned although still following her lead._

_"__Well I think it's perfectly safe, if a bear or such creature were to inhabit the place I'm sure we would have been mauled to death already" she smiled walking a couple of feet more before sitting on the cold stone ground._

_"__That is comforting" Kol joked sitting with his back against the wall across from her._

_"__Why did Nik not venture out with us today?" Kara asked unsure why the third eldest Mikaelson brother did not come out to play with them._

_Kol sighed and found interest in his fingers._

_"__Father gave him extra chores, something to do with speaking him in a tone he did not like"_

_Kara nodded. She knew Mikael was a strict parent but when it came to Niklaus he seemed to double his punishments. _

_"__How long for this time?"_

_Kol shrugged._

_"__Until father thinks he learns his lesson I suspect"_

_"__Well that means never" Kara laughed and Kol laughed with her. It was true, no matter what harsh punishments Mikael seemed to cook up for Niklaus he always found a more unique and original way to rebel._

_"__Come Kara" Kol said suddenly standing up holding a small jagged rock in his hand "We must mark this place as our own". They set to carving their names on the inside of the cave walls along with forged warning symbols telling intruders of unending pain and suffering if they were to enter without permission. They laughed at their work after. It was messily etched on the walls but was still legible._

_"__No one would dare to enter now" Kara laughed wiping the dust from the stone from her hands. _

_"__Do you think Elijah has found Rebekah by now or do you think he has given up?" Kol asked moving to the mouth of the cave to see if he could hear Elijah's voice of surrender._

_"__Kara!" Kol called from the entrance "Come here a moment, look at these"_

_Kara joined Kol at stopped to see what he was pointing at. There were bushels of some sort, many of them the same, scattered in the clearing outside the cave. A purple flower sat upon it._

_"__They're pretty" Kara concluded looking at them in turn to see if there was anything spectacular about them._

_Kol scoffed._

_"__Does your Father not teach you anything of witchcraft?" Kol asked moving closer to study the plants._

_"__Kol you and I both you that your Mothers magic and my Fathers magic are not one in the same" Kara replied squinting her eyes at the weeds trying to see what Kol was so eagerly trying to point out._

_"__It is, its wolfs bane" Kol concluded with a smile holding up the stem to her so she could study it._

_"__The plant that Ayana said could deter the wolves?" taking it off of him and holding it delicately in the palm of her hand._

_"__Come" Kol said picking a bunch "We must bring some back to the village" _

"Kara? Kara can you hear me?" a voice asked.

She looked around her to see no one, curiously Kol didn't seem to hear.

Suddenly Kol and the clearing, the field, the feeling of the air on her face disappeared.

She felt tired, and hot and everything ached. Somehow she couldn't open her eyes.

"How long has she been like this?" a male voice asked. It was the voice of Dr. Marsh she realised. Was he referring to her?

"Since last night" the voice of Alice responded "We didn't think anything of it, we thought she was just upset about her mother".

She felt something cool on her chest and realised that Dr Marsh was trying to listen to her heart.

"Will she be alright?" Daisy asked knowing full well of the chances of surviving when having contracted this ailment.

"She has a fever that we must get down and those chest noises are a sign of chronic pneumonia. I'm afraid it doesn't look good".

**Dum dum dummmm…..Haha so I'm ending this chap on a cliff hanger…..don't hate me. ****J****But yay we had a glimpse of Kol, and it was little Kol so awh cute! ****J****I hope you liked it, please please let me know. If you have any comments or even ideas please also let me know! I will update as soon as possible! Thanks for reading! xxxxx**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Hey everyone! First of all I would like to thank you for your lovely reviews. To XxMikealsonForeverxX for reviewing chapter one and to the great guest reviewer…****J****And also to angel9507 and Misskymm for reviewing chapter two. I appreciate your reviews so much that I think that you should be named and praised…****J****And to those who have favourited or are following my story, thank you so so much. It's your interest and feedback guys that keeps me going with this so thank you so much.** **So this is the third chapter and after writing this I'm kind of happy at the direction this story is taking. ****J** **I had clear cut ideas for this story when I first started it but now more and more keep popping into my head. I hope you like it ….:) **

Giuseppe Salvatore had always been a patient man. He was a gentleman and had always prided himself on being so. He often waited for many important decisions to be made, some concerning his estate, some about business. He had waited over three months for Georgianna to agree to marry him and then another four in order for the wedding to be planned. He had always been patient. He had been in the hallway outside their bedroom the whole time Georgianna had been in labour each time one of their children had entered the world. Never had someone accused him of being the opposite, not until that is than during the past two weeks.

They had been hunting at the Lockwood lodge, deep in the woods a few miles from Mystic falls when Benjamin Lockwood had received a telegram from Lawrence Throve informing them of the dire situation. They had been advised to sit and wait it out but that plan had been dashed after the fourth day had come and gone yielding no more news then they had already possessed. They moved down to the town of Covens Wake, a town closest in distance to Mystic Falls. The mayor there, a man by the name of Thomas Hartford was very hospitable and set the Salvatore and Lockwood families up with temporary accommodation in the town. It was there they waited, time and time again for any sort of news. Unfortunately for them no news was allowed to filter from the quarantined town, the only indication that people were still alive in the town was the fact that smoke could be seen bellowing from the town's general direction.

It was after seventeen long harsh days when Benjamin Lockwood himself became impatient and anxious.

" Why have we not heard anything by now?" he asked angrily slamming his fist down on the mahogany desk at the centre of the room.

He, Giuseppe, Mayor Hartford and few other men of the township of Coven's Wake were in the mayor's office having a meeting of sorts to discuss the ongoing tragedy in Mystic Falls.

"Calm yourself Sir" one of the local men spoke up watching Benjamin with a fearful eye moving from his place against the wall.

"That's easy for you to say _Sir_" Benjamin said bullying up to the man "But you do not have family at the other side of the boundary".

The man stopped for a moment and looked to his feet, a slight feeling of shame overcoming him. It was then Giuseppe realised it wasn't just his wife and daughter he should be worrying about but the fate of the whole town. Who knew how many of his friends or acquaintances had already perished to the awful disease.

"There is nothing you can do but wait" Mayor Hartford said dejectedly "We have men still out guarding the roads that lead to Mystic Falls from here, if there is any news what so ever we'll be the first to know".

Benjamin reluctantly agreed and left the room showing more of a temper than he desired to, Giuseppe following close behind him into a library type room that bordered the mayor's office. Inside Damon, Stefan and George all sat pretending to read some of the vast amounts of mountainous books that were present in the room all the while trying to listen to the conversation going on inside the office. They were obviously unsuccessful in their task for they nominated a spokesperson for their questions.

Damon was the lucky choice and so was the first of the three to stand and boldly walk up to his father.

"So tell us, what has been decided, what is to be done?"

All three boys looked to the older men expectantly waiting to be told of some sort of heroic plan to rescue their families, alas this was not to come to pass. Benjamin, ashamed of having to tell his only son that they were to do nothing but to await news of the probable death of Charlotte, Ellie and Jacob Lockwood did not answer and instead walked straight out the door. He had been doing that a lot in the past week, taking long walks in the woods surrounding their interim homestead. George made to follow his father but Giuseppe stopped him and steered him back to his seat beside Stefan. Damon took this as a hint and returned to his own.

Giuseppe would not call himself the best of fathers. He knew he lacked tact with Damon, his eldest son tended to act out quite a lot and deep down he knew that this was a result of something that he himself was doing. Yet instead of addressing this, he would lay on the punishments, thick and heavy and so much so that instead of obeying his father and bowing down to his will he would rebel. Doing things he would never had done if his father had only just spoken to him like an equal in the first place. See Giuseppe did not just see his eldest son Damon, he saw his successor, his heir, his protégé. Someone that reflected upon Giuseppe himself and he did not want Damon to embarrass him. To embarrass him like Damon had already done, intentionally for most part for a lot of his young life. Yes he did not see eye to eye with him, like he did with Stefan. Stefan who was undeniable at the age of ten his "Favourite son". They had a lot more in common. Shared the same hobbies, mannerisms, ideas. Stefan was also more studious and more reserved. A trait Giuseppe had prayed for in Damon but he had never achieved. But despite all of these things they were both his sons, both born of his flesh and right now they needed him. Needed him to be something he wasn't, a kind and gentle father. To somehow break the news to them in a tone he simply could not muster that two fifths of their family may already be dead. That their mother, the only parent that had ever showed them any type of love or affection could have perished. That their sister, the littlest and sweetest member of their family could have died. To tell them in a manner that would not scar them for the rest of their natural lives that everyone that they have known, staff, friends, teachers, shopkeepers may have all deceased in a plague that may or may not have already left their home town.

George was now also looking at him expectantly and right now he had wished he had done what Benjamin had and walked straight out of the door. Left the hard questions for later when more answers may be present.

"We are to do nothing" Giuseppe said slow and strong "Dr Marsh will send word to us when the infectious portion of the disease has passed, until then Mayor Hartford has been generous enough to let us all remain here".

The boys looked agape at him.

"We cannot just sit here and do nothing" Damon protested anger lacing his voice. Giuseppe could see where this was coming from and knew that he himself was holding back the anger he felt at being so useless. But right now his boys, both of them came first and to prevent them from doing something reckless. Something Damon was most likely to do he knew he had to be harsh.

"You will mind your tone when you speak to me" Giuseppe order making Damon backtrack a little. Stefan looked to his feet. He never knew what to do when his father and Damon argued. He was always closer to Damon but his father was in charge and to go against him would make his life a living hell.

"All I meant_ Sir" _Damon rephrased a little sarcasm etching on the last syllable "Is that must we let Mother and Kara suffer when we are so close to them. We could get them out without anyone knowing"

"And my family too Mr Salvatore" George added his voice pleading.

Giuseppe let out a great sigh and turned from the boys. He scratched his hands through his hair and turned back to them all again. Answering them was like answering the own problems he had in his head. The answers were right, performing them was morally right but was it worth it when he may lose his wife and daughter?

"Think about what you are saying boys" he urged looking them all in the eye one by one "You would break quarantine? A system set up to save people's lives in order to move people from an infected town to a non infected town where you risk the population that have been so hospitable to you in the last few days. Tens more people may be killed in the process maybe hundreds. Ask yourselves…would it be worth it?" Both Stefan and George cast their eyes to their shoes, deep in thought of what they had even thought to suggest. Damon, however stared and his father through his icy blue eyes and responded clear as day.

"To save Mother and Kara? Yes it would be worth it" he replied with the voice of a man more mature than he. A shocked Giuseppe stood back a little and just absorbed the thought that he had just been thinking. The fact that he had been thinking the same selfish thoughts as Damon and for some reason he was only now discovering that his eldest son may be more like him that he once had thought.

It was late in the evening of the nineteenth day of the quarantine when Dr Marsh informed deputy mayor Throve that the contagious period of the disease had now passed. There had been no new casualties in the past three days and only four people still remained sick.

"You're sure?" Throve asked. They were standing in Dr Marsh's now empty surgery.

Dr Marsh nodded. "As much as I can be yes" .

Throve nodded, a slight smile creeping to the corners of his mouth.

"Very well, I'll give the signal"

"I think alerting Mayor Lockwood and Mr Salvatore should be our first agenda, don't you"

Throve stopped and thought before nodding sadly, the smile disappearing from his face.

"How is the child?" he asked.

Dr Marsh knew immediately who he was talking about. Kara was the only child that was still sick.

"She's weak but she's fighting" Dr Marsh sighed and brushed his hands through his hair "I'll have to speak to Giuseppe directly when they arrive back. Inform him of Georgianna and Kara".

Deputy Mayor Throve nodded.

"Of course"

_"__Concentrate Kara, concentrate" a man in a dark brown tunic instructed his British accent thick. This man was Edmund Shepherd and he was her father. How Kara knew this she didn't know, or how it was possible that both he and Giuseppe Salvatore were her natural father's, she just knew that when she had such dreams that she would know exactly what to do. He had received that name from his father and grandfather who had been Shepherd both in name and profession in the "Old world". Right now she was standing outside the back end of her log-built house and was concentrating on a tree crown. A causality in building their house when they had arrived in the "New world". Her "brothers", elder by six, five and three years respectively stood beside her each in front of their own tree crown. It took her a minute to realise that it wasn't in fact the tree trunks they were concentrating on but what lay upon them. They each had a small white pebble atop of them. She shut her mind down and concentrated. Imagining there was nothing around her and that the pebble was just floating in nothingness. She squinted her eyes in concentration. Unbeknownst to her, her brothers were doing the same. _

_She thought of the stone as weightless and featherlike trying so hard to will the stone with her mind. It was her second eldest brother, Drake that achieved success first. His stone floated thirty centimetres in the air, stayed solitary just floating for a handful of seconds before touching down gracefully onto the trunk. His father clapped him on the back, proud._

_"__Well done my son, well done" The other brothers, noticing the success broke from their concentration to congratulate their brother. Every day they would train in the magic arts but Alistair had been the only one as of yet to master a skill. Kara, however was oblivious to the whole situation. She was still concentrating blocking out all and every sound around her. To her the only thing that existed was the stone and the stone only. Her eyes focused on the circumference of the object and she willed it to move from its position._

_Edmund laughed when he noticed this._

_"__Kara sweetie, I think that's enough for today"_

_She didn't respond. Only kept looking at the stone._

_"__Kara, did you hear father?" Alistair asked prodding his sister with his hand. She didn't even flinch._

_"__Kara I said that's enough" Edmund said more firmly. It was when he noticed the trickle of blood from her nose that he became really concerned. He moved towards her swiftly in an effort to break her eye contact from the small stone. As soon as he moved however her hand shot up making an unseen barrier between her and her father. Edmund stopped in his tracks amazed by the power of such a small girl. _

_"__Father what is happening?" Wade, the youngest of his sons asked._

_Edmund smirked._

_"__Power" he replied "She has power"._

_It was only a few seconds later when the stone reacted. It didn't float in the air as Drake's had done nor move off of the trunk at all, instead it erupted in a powerful surge of flames. The boys jumped back slightly but Edmund moved forward elation shown on his face._

_Kara snapped out of her trance long enough to see her father run at her, pick her up and swing her around, pure delight upon his face._

_"__You did it my girl" he smiled at her before leaving her down again "Quickly, Alistair get some water from the well and put out this fire, Wade go fetch your mother she will want to hear of this". Both boys ran off in separate directions._

_He turned to Kara and bent down so he was at her level._

_"__You my dear are going to be one of the most powerful witches in the world"_

_Kara looked at him in awe._

_"__But father" she stuttered "I will never be as powerful as you, or Mother or Ayana"._

_Edmund kissed her quick on the forehead._

_"__My dear" he said the smile never once leaving his face "You do not know what magnificence awaits for you. You are special, its time you came to terms with that"_

_A strange sense of nervousness washed over Kara but she put on a smile to appease her father._

_"__You better go to the stream and wash up my dear" he said indicating to the blood that had now finally stopped running down her face._

_ "__Yes father" she said more than happy to be out of the situation. No one had ever been proud of her like that and she didn't know how to react to it._

_Drake stood in the shadow of the house and watched the scene that had played out before him. His little sister had ruined his finest magically moment and he was seething. His fists clutched in anger and he watched he run off to the lake. _

_That night she lay in her bed and just thought about what had unfolded. The power she had felt, how weak yet exhilarated she felt after. The buzz had still not left her which made her realised right now why she couldn't fall to sleep. Deciding that a cup of cool water may be her answer she made her way out of her small room and into the kitchen area. The wooden floors creaked under her light weight but not so loud as if to wake anyone. It was just turning to dawn making the sky a dark blue colour rather than black and this in turn made it easy enough for her to find her way to the well. There was a main well at the centre of the village but the Shepherd's, who just lived midway between the wooded area and the entrance to the village had their own out the back of their house. She grabbed a wooden cup from the small cupboard in the kitchen area and made her way to the side of the house. She stopped suddenly at the sound of harsh whispers coming from her intended destination. _

_"__Are you certain?" her mother asked her tone curious but also tainted with concern._

_"__Positive" her father's voice replied "You didn't see her Martha, feel the energy that was pouring off of her. She's the one, we need to do this for her"_

_"__For all of them" Martha argued and stopped realising she had just agreed to her husband's idea._

_"__Yes for all of them" Edmund agreed._

_"__I'll get the ingredients on my walk later, we do the incantation tonight" Martha said her voice stern and in control._

_"__Agreed" Edmund responded._

_"__The spirits won't be very pleased with us" Martha said to Edmund to reminding him of the only barrier to their goal. _

_"__I know they won't" he replied a little worried "But after this we won't have to worry about the spirits again" _

**Okay so good, bad, terrible? I really want to hear what you guys think. Please let me know! ****J****Thanks for reading, see you soon! ****J****xxxxxxx**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: So annoyingly I already had this chapter written and thanks to a very poorly timed thunder storm, power outage and a not so energy efficient laptop I lost it all. So I had to start again. Moral of the story? Save your work after EVERY paragraph! ****J**

**So first of all thank you so much to those of you still reading this story! And to those of you who are favouriting and following it. It means a lot to me that you are finding interest in it. ****J**

**To the people that reviewed chapter 3. **

**To Chloe. J: Thank you so much for your amazing review. I know sometimes it's a lot to follow but I do think it's important to give a lot of elements to a story. I think it gives it more depth and life than just a simple one-sided story. ****J****I do also think it is important to give Kara a backstory. All of the other, real vampire diaries characters have them and to make her measure up as an equal to them she also needs to have a bit of dimension to her. Hope you enjoy this **

**To Misskymm: Thanks a million for your review! ****J****Oh my God no problem at all. Trust me if someone takes the time and effort to write me a review (Good, bad or questioning) then I will most definitely read it if not respond to it if I can. ****J****Haha well Misskymm you have been mentioned again! Lol! Yeah it was something I had thought of before I had started writing the story. If there was going to be an illness in 1855 and it was to effect Kara and Georgianna than surely Damon and Giuseppe would see eye to eye in this scenario. Damon would be old enough to know what was happening and Giuseppe isn't completely unloving and ruthless, he's not a later day Mikael he is ultimately just disappointed in Damon and embarrassed of him later on but surely in 1855 when Damon is only a young teenager he hasn't disappointed his father in many ways yet and regardless whether he has it would be whether Georgianna and Kara live and die that would be a more important matter to them, at the moment at least.**

**I know it's confusing and you are kind of right. It is reincarnation but the rest of it is not what you think. I'm sorry but I can't give it away. It will all be explained though I promise! ****J****Hope you like this next chapter! xxxx**

**To Guest: Thank you very much and thank you for reviewing. Here is the update! ****J****xxxx**

**To Sarah: Haha! Thanks so much, I'm a little obsessed myself I think…:P Sorry for keeping you waiting…xxxx**

**Also to let you know that the parts in italics are Kara's 'dreams' and I use the word dream very loosely….hint hint…****J****But I bet all of you avid readers already knew that…****J****So here it is guys…finally…chapter four! ****J**

Giuseppe Salvatore sat in a large armchair by a raging fire. It was late, almost half past one in the morning and this was evident from the large grandfather clock in the corner of the lounge room. He was still in Covens wake, he and his sons guests in the house of Mayor Hartford his wife and his four small children. They however had gone to bed hours ago, as had the servants and staff. He had spent the last three hours or so staring into the burning orange of the fire just thinking. In his right hand he turned his brandy glass, swirly and swishing the amber liquid as he did so. The glass was only half full, the rest had been drunk in moments of painful coherent thought. In his left hand he clutched his pocket watch. He had taken it out over an hour ago only to check that the time on the master clock in the corner of the room only to pause at the inscription on the back. It had been a wedding present from his then wife- to- be. A memento for their special day. His finger passed over the inscription again and again remembering her youthful smiling face the day she had given it to him. She had been twenty-three when he had met her. In a party of a friend in New York City. He had been a little older than her at thirty but that was just like most of the other couples he knew. She had also known the host, by association only but still ran in the same circles as Giuseppe for his time in New York. They had caught each other's eye at the very first party but he didn't pluck up the courage to speak to her until the very last night. They were at a very formal and stuffy function. One in which only the high class of society were allowed to attend. He found the whole ordeal pretty boring as he had never had to attend such a thing in Virginia. She obviously thought the same and so accepted his very generous and gentleman-like offer for a walk. They took in all of the tourist spots before setting down on a bench in Central park. It was Georgianna's first time in New York City. She was from Chicago and said she had seen enough of big city life to be excited about visiting any more of them. She seemed fascinated by Virginia. Giuseppe, then still lived with his Mother and Father in a town called Willow Grove, a few hundred miles outside where they had founded Mystic Falls a few years later. They had talked all night and Giuseppe, a self-proclaimed life- long bachelor was amazed how quickly and utterly he fell in love with her. Much to his delight, she extended her visit another week at his request and they spent their time laughing and talking and courting. It was at the train station he proposed. It was sudden and unromantic. He didn't have a ring as he was promised his mother's when the time came. He asked it as she turned to say goodbye from the train window. The train was already full and the conductor was just checking the doors and she only had her arm extended to him out of the window. But she nodded and took Giuseppe a full minute to realise that a nod meant yes. A smile from her followed his and then she was gone.

Another chime from the clock broke him out of his thoughts. His, for once in the last two weeks, nice thoughts. He took another sip from his brandy knowing that he should go to bed. It was late and his boys would need him in the morning. He took another sip and then other and then downed the rest of the glass in one. He got up wavering a bit as he did and propped the glass on the mantelpiece for the servants to retrieve for the kitchen in the morning. He straightened himself up a bit, not realising in the hours he had been sat on the chair that his cravat had become loose and untied and he and untied the buttons on his silk waistcoat at some point during the night. He tucked his precious pocket watch back into the upper pocket of his waistcoat and made for the stairs. He passed through the chill of the drawing room and the entrance hall as he did so and his foot was perched on the bottom step when he noticed something laying on the carpet by the front door. A letter of such. Without thinking he made his way towards it, ready to set it on the small table where a plant sat by the door with the rest of the mail ready for the attention of the intended recipients in the morning.

It was only when he got closer through blurry eyes that he could see that there were two and that they were not letters at all, they were too small for that. They were telegrams in the form of letters. He knew straight away what this was regarding. Turning both over he could see that one was labelled for him and the other to Benjamin. He began to rip open his, dropping Benjamin's to the floor in the sheer fluster of the action.

It was a "Western Union, Night letter" a costly venture but one used when delivering important or time sensitive news. Giuseppe's eyes scanned over the beige paper and read the two lines in typed font.

'Quarantine in Mystic Falls lifted. Mr Salvatore to meet with Dr Marsh at Mystic Fall's surgery as soon as is conveniently possible'

Suddenly a wave of dread washed over Giuseppe and he gripped the paper tighter in his hand almost crumpling it. Surely there was a reason why he had to go to Dr Marsh's surgery before returning home. It was one of them, either his wife or daughter was dead and at this point he could only pray that it wasn't both. It was then that he decided that he couldn't wait until morning. He needed to know that they were safe, alive. Without thinking of the occupants the house belonged to nor the other guests by the name of his friend Benjamin Lockwood and his son or his own two, he made his was out of the front door of the house towards the nearest town, Mystic Falls.

Dr Marsh lay on his examination table trying to get a few kind minutes of shut-eye before he had to return to his duties. Right now the only critical patient he had was Kara Salvatore and he felt uneasy leaving her to the care of servants in her house. Deputy Mayor Throve however suggested he announce the news and status of their families to the returning Mayor Lockwood and Mr Salvatore and he would need to do that quite early in the morning. So right now he would try and sleep and in the morning he would worry how he was going to tell Giuseppe that his wife was dead and his daughter was likely to follow. He turned over again on the bed realising why it was never deemed for long term usage for patients. The thing was so damn uncomfortable. He sighed and sat up admitting defeat and decided to tackle the mountain of paperwork on his desk. Rubbing his eyes he turned up the gas light and poured over his work for a few moments when a sudden sharp rap on the door broke his concentration. It happened again confirming that with his sleep deprivation that he wasn't imagining it. His watch lay on top of a medical journal at the corner of the desk and whilst checking it he wondered who on earth would be calling this late. Thinking it was about his patient and assuming the worst he speedily stood up his chair creaking a little in the silence as he did so and made his way to the door of his surgery. More pounding echoed through the wood as he got closer and pulling on his coat he opened the door ready to leave when he saw.

"Giuseppe?"

Giuseppe stood at the door, sweaty, dishevelled and out of breath.

Dr Marsh glanced out of the door for any indication of how the man had got here.

"Did you walk all this way?" he asked shocked ushering the panting man into his office.

Giuseppe nodded.

"I received the telegram and I couldn't wait" he said his voice slightly raspy "Please tell me that they're alive Harry".

His pleading eyes somewhat struck Harold Marsh to his core. He took a deep breath and averted his eyes.

"Why don't we have a seat over here?" he asked his voice trying to be as delicate as possible.

A deep fear overtook Giuseppe at this and anger took hold.

"I don't want to sit down damn it I want to know how my family is!" he screech at the tired doctor.

Dr Marsh pushed back his hair trying to find the right words.

"Kara is sick, she's critical at the moment but I am giving her all the treatments I can think of. She'll be happy that you and the boys are back"

"She won't die will she?" Giuseppe asked.

"I'm doing all I can for her, she's her father's daughter, she's strong"

Giuseppe nodded taking in the new information.

"And there is no chance of the boys catching this?"

Dr Marsh shook his head.

"There is never any guarantee but the contagious period is over and deputy mayor Throve lifted the quarantine so business should return to normal soon enough"

"I must go to the house" Giuseppe said moving to the door again "Georgianna will be so tired, she won't have left Kara's side for a moment". He went to give a small smile to the doctor but stopped when he saw the man's reaction to his wife's name.

"What is it you're not telling me?"

He tried to find a delicate way of putting it. Of sugar coating the death of his friends wife as to somehow make it less painful but the in the end he just blurted it out.

"Georgianna is dead Giuseppe. She died before Kara contracted this illness. I'm so sorry my friend".

Giuseppe felt like someone had just punched him in the gut. He felt winded and angry and hysterical. He stopped himself before he let out and anguished scream and composed himself.

"Thank you for your time Dr Marsh, I'd best be off home. I have a sick daughter to care for".

Whilst Dr Marsh was somewhat surprised by the action he understood it. The pain a sentence like that would cause to a person and then having to bottle it up, to become a perfect gentleman again until he could be alone to express the emotions he was feeling.

Giuseppe didn't remember the walk home after that just the servants reaction as he walked through his front door. They asked him many questions but he couldn't comprehend them enough to answer them. He made straight for his daughter's bedroom and sat in a small green armchair by her bed. Giuseppe had never been the father that showed his emotions or one that would tell his children he loved them or even hug them. That was Georgianna, that had always been Georgianna and now he and to tell his children that the only parent who had ever showed them love was dead. He exhaled deeply and wiped his face with his hands. Kara had always been lively and vivacious. Always wanting to show him something or run around the house after her brothers. Most of the time she would come back from playing outside with them dirtier and muddier than they were and now she was just lying there. That is what had shocked Giuseppe the most when he saw her. Not her pale skin or her sweaty brow or the fact that she was shivering under the blankets. It was the fact that she was so still and silent that had unnerved him.

A book lay on the dresser beside her bed.

'Jack and the beanstalk'

It was old but in good condition Giuseppe noted. He opened it a crack and the bookmark fell out onto his lap, the marked page forever lost in the see of printed words. He placed the bookmark, an animal printed one that Georgianna had no doubt bought from somewhere onto the dresser and opened the book the page inside the cover. He was surprised to see and inscription there. In Georgianna's dainty cursive writing. It said.

_'__To my dearest Damon on your ninth birthday_

_All my love, my darling_

_Your Mother'_

Giuseppe placed his index finger on top of the writing almost trying to feel her presence writing it. A lone tear fell down his cheek and he looked up to see Damon standing at the doorway. He didn't realise how much time had passed but now clouded sunlight seemed to be brightening the windows and the street outside.

"Damon I…" he began but really didn't know what to say.

Damon shook his head.

"It's alright Father, really. Benjamin brought us back".

Giuseppe nodded taking in the information. They really did have each other's backs when needed.

"Where's Stefan?" he asked looking behind Damon for his youngest son.

"He's in his room. Dr Marsh told us about Mother and he's upset".

"And what about you?" Giuseppe asked eyeing his eldest son curiously.

"I'm going to go look after Stefan, I can be upset later" he turned to move away from the doorframe but looked back to his father.

"You should read that to her" he said indicating to the book in his father's hand "She liked it, she liked the giant" he said remembering telling her the story and her eyes going wide with imagination.

"She can't hear it Damon" Giuseppe protested looking almost solemnly down at the floor.

"You don't know that" he said before finally leaving the room to go see to his brother.

Giuseppe looked to his daughter before opening the book again to the first chapter. He cleared his throat before speaking aloud.

"Once upon a time in a land far, far away….."

_It was like Kara's mind was in a fog when she awoke. She could clearly see night had fallen through branches of high trees for the stars were dotted in the sky amongst them. Beneath her was foliage and leaves, the floor of the forest. She tried to sit up but a sharp pain in her arm prevented her from putting any weight on it. Looking down through blurred she could see a thick gash had been cut there. Through the fog in her ears she could hear people talking, indicating there were people nearby and smelt smoke, a fire was lit. _

_Trying hard she attempted to recall the last thing she remembered._

_She had awoken early that morning in order to watch over her parents to see what incantation they were referring to the night before. Her mother went about her normal duties. Did her homely chores and after lunch went to visit Ayana at the other end of the village. She knew that Ayana, her mother and Esther were all fairly close friends as there were not many other witches nearby to call upon in a land of werewolves and other fierce some creatures. Her mother and father had arrived in the new world on the same ship as the Mikaelson's so had obviously met there and had opted to settle in the same area as one another. Her mother did nothing untoward or out of the ordinary for the day, much to Kara's surprise. The two youngest boys, Drake and Wade went to the river fishing whilst Alistair went to chop some wood with their father. _

_Kara was supposed to go foraging with Rebekah but feigned a headache in order to keep watch on the house and the comings and goings of her parents. Twice she had stolen a peek at their grimoire but couldn't find anything that might explain what was to happen tonight. _

_She clutched her right, injured arm and sat up in an effort to gage her surroundings. She was in the forest just outside the village that much she could tell but still had no clue how she had come to be here. Slowly she hobbled to a standing position and headed towards the voices she had heard. Her eyes were blurred but she could make out a great bon fire like structure with dark figures gathered around it, two somewhat taller than the rest._

_"__Ah, Kara dear you're awake" a familiar voice came from the direction of the figures. The voice was her mothers and she was addressing her like she had just awoken from a casual midday nap._

_"__Mother? What is happening here?" she asked startled gazing around her for any sort of clue._

_"__Shh" her Mother hushed "Do not be afraid for today is a day of celebration". A smile donned her face and it was now that Kara could see her father placing ingredients of some sort into a large pot and instructing her brothers to do the same thing. _

_Her mother handed her a wet cloth._

_"__For your cut sweetheart, we had to take some blood for the spell, but we all made the sacrifice" she said showing her daughter her own cut. She smiled sweetly before turning back and starting to paint on a level surface of short grass with a substance she had been concocting moments before. It took her only a few minutes until the symbol was complete. It was one which Kara didn't recognise. It was almost like a star but had six spokes and a circle in the centre. One spoke was a little more elongated than the rest and that is where Martha stood. Edmund placed the pot he was mixing ingredients into onto the centre of the circle before standing at the opposite spoke to his wife. Alistair stood on the next spoke and directed Kara to stand on the one beside him. Wade and Blake copied their siblings and each took position on the remaining lines. Martha who was standing on the primary spoke look charge. She raised both her head and her arms to the skies and stared upwards with such determination. She had obviously memorised what she had to know from the grimoire already._

_"__Nos servi tui tibi vocare. Stamus in sacrum characterem a vobis, cum oratione. Parvus, sed servitus nostra vita nostra sit in te, domina daemonum. Hic pro orfano, egredimini, et nos tecum convocandum"_

_She stopped in her speech and nodded to Edmund who tosses a small stone like object into the pot._

_At first nothing happened, then, from nowhere a violent wind ripped through the forest._

_"__It's the spirits" Edmund yelled over the gusts "They are not happy"._

_Martha nodded in agreement with her husband but continued on._

_"__Trade tibi dicimus. Qui propter nos homines, et in nomine tuo in sacrificio fideles qui, nisi quod rogare possis dedit. Ut serviamus tibi tibi enim modo potest. Fortis sumus, nobis potestas. Fine carent, et sine labore, sine fine virtutis. Hoc enim gratis libentissime semper unregrettable possumus unum. Spiritum et vitam nostram, ut nos, et méntibus"_

_A flash of lightening came from nowhere lighting the pot in the centre of the symbol on fire with one sharp hit and a deafening thunder followed._

_"__Fiat" she spoke weakly, a small trickle of blood emanating from her nose._

_Another flash of lightning struck, centimetres from Martha's foot and then, like nothing had happened the sky cleared and the wind died._

_Martha collapsed to the floor from pure exhaustion and Edmund ran to her._

_"__Father what on earth did we just do?" Alistair asked the only one of the children brave enough to even string together the sentence. _

_Edmund smiled to his wife who returned it and nodded._

_"__We, my dear boy have just given you the ultimate gift of power" Edmund laughed almost hysterically before continuing "You my children will fear nothing not even the spirits, you will be unstoppable"._

_He laughed again and this time Martha joined in with albeit not with as much zest as her husband._

_"__I don't understand Father" Wade prodded a look utter confusion, much like the other children plain to see on his face "How could that be?"_

_"__We made a deal" Edmund said standing up and helping his wife with him "So you will have the means in your veins to do as you wish. To mould the world to your choosing and no one will ever be able to stop you. You will have nothing to fear. Not natives, not wolves and certainly not the spirits. You my children are the new breed of magik, you are the masters" Kara didn't know what to think. The spirits would never let people attempt to take so much power, there would be dire consequences. _

_"__But the spirits would never allow us to take…" Kara began trying to voice her concern only to be stopped by her father._

_"__We no longer have to worry about the spirits, we longer take our power from nature they no longer control us"._

_"__Well then where do we get our power from father?" Alistair asked._

_Edmund stopped before replying at this point letting Martha take over the conversation._

_"__A demonic source" she said her sweet voice making the words she had just spoken nicer than they were "We sacrificed our souls for our children's power and one day you will do the same for your own children"_

_"__But, your soul Mother?" Alistair asked in pure shook._

_Martha nodded._

_"__Yes. It is not the next world we must worry about but the world we live in now and we must be masters of it"_

_The children just looked at their parents in shock. Never had they seen them this concerned about power before. Sure it was important to them, they were witches. But never had they once spoken of the spirits in a nasty way, never had they spelled an incantation so evil and wrong. Kara felt wrong in herself, the power running through her veins, power she was not supposed to possess but did. She could tell that two of her three brothers felt the same as she but that Drake looked disturbingly too comfortable with the thought of his new skills._

_Suddenly Edmund stood above them all again, Martha in his shadow._

_"__You must tell no one of this. We will be exiled if anyone was to find out what we did especially any other witches"._

_The children all nodded slowly in agreement. To be honest Kara would have no idea how to explain what had happened tonight even if she did wish to tell someone. With a heavy heart and a very active mind she followed the rest of her family home knowing full well that she would not be able to sleep this night._

**So what did you think? I hope it's not too confusing but any questions let me know..:) Basically the spell is in Latin and that was all done on google translate so hopefully all you latin experts out there won't kill me for that! ****J****This is it in English for those of you who want to know…****J**

_**We, your servants summon thee. We stand upon the sacred mark beseeching you with our prayer. Our lives are small but we pledge our servitude onto you, demonic master. Here our plea, come forth, we summon thee**_

**_We summon thee to make a pledge. For us, your loyal who made the sacrifice in your name we ask for only what you can gave. For what you can give to make us serve you only more. Make us strong, give us power. Limitless, effortless and never ending power. For this we give freely, willingly and unregrettable the one thing we can give forever. Our lives breath, ourselves, our souls. _**

**_Let it be done._**

**Just thought it would be a good twist in the tale to add another force to the fight. It has been a struggle to write and then rewrite this chapter so I hope you liked it….please please let me know….:) xxx******


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Hey everyone! Sorry its ben so long since the last update life has been pretty hectic (Not an excuse I know.. ****L****..) Am going to Australia in the new year for a year so trying to get things organised with that and my laptop officially broke taking all of my previous chapters and this chapter when it was in progress with it…. ****L****Sad times.. Back up your files people I learnt the hard way…But the good news is that I got a new laptop…finally…early Christmas present so yay and was able to finish the chapter and start on the next already. ****J****Thank you to all who are still reading and reviewing/favouriting/following. You don't know how much it means to me..:) Hope you like..**

Paris, France

1864

The sky was dark, dotted throughout with bright stars and a crescent moon at its apex. It was early in the night, only about seven or eight yet the streets below seemed eerily quiet. News of brutal murders on the streets of Paris had spread like wild fire and now the residents had opted to stay inside when night fell, feeling safer within the confines of their own houses. A candle illuminated the window of one desolate apartment on the top floor of a lonely detached house on the end of Rue de Vousir making the girl who gazed out of it look like a silhouette to any of those that peered out of their own windows. Her long dark hair flowed down her back as she tilted her head upwards to look at the moon above them. Her eyes were glazed over, like she thought of something else while looking upon the scene in the night sky.

A noise from behind her, a door opening and then closing again made the glaze disappear but she did not turn and look. She had begun to see dots in her vision now, those only one sees whilst gazing at something bright for a long period of time.

"Natalie come away from the window" the male voice said walking over to her briskly and forcible pulling her away knowing full well that she would not obey his orders. She stood still watching cautiously as he pulled the shutters closed and peeked out a small crack in the left one.

Natalie tilted her head to one side and analysed her brother.

"You're scared" she concluded her voice airy and vague.

Noah looked to his sister crease lines framing his eyes and face.

"I have explained this to you already Natalie, he is coming and we must hide. We cannot fight one so powerful".

"He will come no matter if we hide or not" she replied sitting casual down on the sofa by the window not looking at all alarmed at her brothers fear.

Noah looked to her and this time it was he who studied her.

"What have you seen sister?" he asked he too moving away from the window and taking to the seat beside Natalie.

She smiled all-knowingly and tapped her temple with her index finger.

"He comes because I know where she is"

Noah shook his head.

"No sister, he comes because he thinks you know where she is, just like he thought our mother did and her mother before her"

Natalie smiled.

"But she lives now, and I can find her" she said smiling.

Noah studied her worryingly looking to see any flaw in her abnormal demeanour. His twin sister was born a little strange; she was airy, carefree but a very powerful witch and seer. The seer she had inherited from their maternal line, a talent a very powerful vampire required use of. So he came, time after time and generation after generation looking for someone he lost long ago and when he didn't hear the news he wanted he would kill the seer and return twenty or twenty-five years later to pray on the next generation of Delacroix's. This time his sister seemed to be sensing something his mother or the generations before did not. The location of this very important person.

"Are you certain?" Noah asked "Where, where is she? Who is she?"

Natalie stood very suddenly making Noah have to move backwards in his position as to not be elbowed in the face.

"There's no time" she said diverting her gaze to the door "He is coming".

Noah's eyes shot to the door and after a second or two he was back in a defence mode.

"Go" he said moving to the table where a gun sat dismantled "Hide, in the place where we decided before, remember?".

He went to work reassembling the shot gun not realising that Natalie had not moved from her position.

"No more running" she said taking up a stance in front of the door, awaiting someone to enter it "I have what he needs".

Noah loaded the shot gun with a special kind of wooden bullets and moved to his sister.

"We do not know what he will do to us once he gets what he needs Natalie"

"But we know what he will do to us if he doesn't "

He looked at her deeply, severely, trying to probe her mind to discover whether this moment was one of the few minutes of sanity she spoke each day. Chance told him it wasn't, that after all of the years running that this was the moment that his sister had become his savour but searching her eyes told him different. He believed her to be speaking truth, and she wasn't good at masking deception.

"Very well then" he said his voice echoing her voice of calmness. He pulled away from her and went back to the many tools and weapons he now had streamed across the table, he made sure to glance each of them before picking up his targeted choice. Standing directly in front of her he handed her the wooden stake.

She looked at it, then at him oddly before speaking.

"Noah those stakes don't work on_ them _and you know it" she said with a slight smile at her brother's foolish notion.

Noah shook his head still holding out the sharply wielded weapon to the brunette girl.

"It's not for him"

Before she could question he continued.

"I will not be like one of them, I cannot live as them. When the time comes…._if _the time comes you will do what is right over what is easy?"

He looked at her, brown eyes meeting blue, his pleading.

She smiled and took the wooden object from her brother.

"Only if you promise to do the same"

Noah nodded.

"I will"

"Very good then" she said with a melodic tone as she skipped happily to the shuttered window. She stared out again through the crack ignoring her brother's previous warning of staying hidden. He let her be and began hiding weapons in various locations of the room. If there was to be a fight he was going to be ready.

"I have a good feeling this time" Natalie said as her brother hid a stake in the unlit fireplace and a dagger behind a cushion on the sofa.

"Yes well when it comes to any of the Mikaelson's, good feelings is not what I tend to have".

"But I sometimes feel sorry for Kol" Natalie began and Noah almost had to steady himself in shock "I mean he lost the love of his life and was cursed to live forever with only the memory of her. I mean it's romantic" Natalie all but swooned at the window sill.

Noah scoffed.

"Nat he has killed generations of our family looking for her, he will stop at nothing until he finds her including if that means maiming, torturing or murdering. Not romantic at all if you ask me"

"You don't know what it's like" Natalie argued. Noah didn't know what to say, this man had killed their mother, grandparents and generations before that and his sister was defending him.

"Neither do you" he countered getting a tad angry at her.

"Yes I do" she spoke this time looking directly at him. "Every time we're near him or I am in the presence of him I feel it. His pain, his anguish, his torment. It is not like anything I have every felt before myself. As a human I don't think it's possible to feel such emotion"

"That does not excuse what he has done; many people have lost those they love, including us because of him".

Natalie looked ashamed and fell in on herself.

"I only say it brother because I am feeling it now" she said a little meekly.

"You mean he..?" Noah began.

"Is close" a voice said from the doorway.

They turned in shock to see him there. The handsome, arrogant, slightly psychotic cold blooded murderous vampire, Kol Mikaelson.

"Very close in fact" he said with a smirk.

Noah pulled his sister close with one hand while gripping the shotgun with the other.

"Now Mr Delacroix there is no need for that, it is only a simple question that I must ask you, or is it your sister here that has the gift?"

"You stay away from her" Noah said with more strength in his voice than he felt "Now if I'm right you can't enter here without us inviting you in, so we seem to be at a bit of a stalemate".

Kol seemed unaffected by the question and just leant on the doorframe with his arms folded the smile unfaltering from his structured face.

"Well look at you trying to negotiate for your lives, your grandparents could have learned a thing or two from you" he paused looking amused at the two sibling's ashen faces.

Noah unconsciously pulled Natalie back further from the door hiding her behind him slightly.

Kol narrowed his eyes.

"Based on your brother's behaviour darling, I'm assuming it is you who I am looking for?"

Natalie looked out from behind her brother. Her demeanour was fearful but her eyes showed that she was determined. Determined to stop the torment of her family once and for all.

"I have the information you need" she said in a voice slightly louder than a whisper.

Kol's smirk vanished.

"Come again?" he asked disbelieving what he had just heard.

"Natalie" Noah warned shooting her a look over his shoulder.

"It needs to be over Noah" she said with strength and consoled him by touching her hand to her shoulder "I can do this" she whispered.

"I've seen her" she spoke this time directing her voice to Kol. "I've seen who she was and who she is now. She does not look any different but she is different" she stopped to think of what to say. Kol's face was a mixture of pain, hope and interest. He stayed glued to his position leaning on the doorframe listening to any and all information that the female Delacroix could give him.

"She knows not of whom she is or what she can do, her past has been erased from her mind" she spoke all of this as if she were reading it from an invisible document from inside her head.

"She doesn't remember me, does she?" Kol asked finding it hard to keep the dejected disappointment from his face.

"No" Natalie said without restraint. She was in her mind now, reading whatever information of the matter resided there "But she dreams of you, of the past. She thinks they are makings of her own mind but she finds comfort in them".

Kol stood up straighter and went to enter the apartment, forgetting himself that he was magically barred from the residence without invitation.

Noah cocked the wooden bullet gun and aimed it towards the open door. Natalie lay her hand upon his outstretched hand in an effort to calm his nervous brash behaviour.

"Where is she?" Kol asked his eyes burning from his position at the door.

Noah shot Natalie a warning look, pleading with her to not tell Kol everything, to leave something in their arsenal to barter with.

Even Natalie, in her less than sane state of mind knew that what she was about to do was more than risky but she had to, she wanted it over with and this was her chance.

"If I tell you" she began her voice a lot louder and stronger than Noah had heard it in a while "Then you must promise that no harm shall come to my brother and me".

Noah looked to his sister, his emotion shining through to her through his eyes. Ever since their parents had been killed by Kol when he was just a boy he knew that this was the moment to where his life had been leading to. It was either going to end right here and now or finally begin.

Kol looked to be contemplating the offer but after a few moments resolved back to the first and ultimate question.

"Tell me where she is?" he asked his tone calm and his mannerisms irritatingly cocky.

"Promise me" Natalie enforced.

"Very well, very well" Kol scoffed as if the Delacroix's negotiating for their lives was getting in the way of Natalie answering his question.

Somewhat happy with the response she received she closed her eyes and concentrated.

Seeing wasn't an exact magic. Seers couldn't decide or choose what they were going to foretell. Some were not even powerful enough to decipher the meanings of the signs and symbols that were sent to them. Natalie however had displayed an extreme affinity to the magics, so much so that she seemed to live on the logic of them rather than on the logic and understanding of everyday life. She was now trying to conjure up that exact scene she had foreseen in her mind's eye just days ago. The scene that generations of Delacroix's before her had prayed to see, for it may have saved their lives. She stood there, eyes closed, face tranquil and body still for minute after minute and Noah could see Kol get more and more impatient. Kol went from leaning on the door frame to almost having his body pressed on the invisible barrier that prevented him from entering the room.

"Well?" he yelled at Noah after another minute had passed.

Noah held up his hands in a calming gesture to try and sooth the angered Kol.

"It just takes her a few minutes, that's all" Noah defended eyes not leaving Natalie's transfixed form. He watched her eyes move under her eye-lids, darting from side to side as if flickering from one image to another.

"I have it" Natalie finally said a slight air of victory in her voice, Kol perked up.

She opened her eyes and took a moment to look at her brother before moving closer to the doorway.

"Nat" her brother warned as she got into arms- length of the doorframe.

Natalie didn't respond but did stop moving.

"She is at the place where you last knew her Mr Mikaelson" she stopped and tilted her head to one side as if a flow of information was still trying to reach her "She is no longer of the Shepherd's but is now belonging to the name Salvatore".

Kol smiled both with relief and genuine happiness.

"Very good darling" he smirked before backing away from the door. Noah and Natalie could both be seen taking a visible sigh of relief.

"Take them" Kol said as suddenly two large burly men came out of nowhere and walked straight into the room. Apparently having no trouble with the barrier. Natalie shrieked in terror as one grabbed her by the arms. Noah went to fire his gun but had it knocked out of his hand at the last minute making the wooden bullet embed itself into the wall by the doorway. The second man soon overcame him and was dragging him out behind his sister.

"Tut, tut Mr Delacroix" Kol said condescendingly "You wouldn't want to hurt two innocently compelled men now would you?"

Noah hesitated a moment but looked very much like he would hurt two innocent men, if he could.

"You promised you wouldn't hurt us" Natalie argued as she struggled in the first man's grip.

"That I did" Kol said in the same tone as before "And I won't, not if your information is correct. But how am I to know that from the streets of Paris? We will go there, once I determine you are right, once I find her and if you both do nothing of sorts to vex me on the trip there then I shall let you both go"

"And if she's wrong?" Noah asked.

"Well then let's just say I'll have you two to take out my disappointment on"

"I'm not wrong" Natalie defended glaring at her brother accusingly.

"You expect us to follow you trustingly Mr Mikaelson? You cannot compel us to do your bidding as you did these two, we know of a little thing called Vervain" he said indicating to the two men. Kol casually walked up to the male Delacroix and twisted his arm back, the same arm he was using moments ago to hold the gun making it make a sickening crack. Noah screamed out in pain as Natalie watched on in horror.

"I also find that pain is a good motivator Mr Delacroix, don't you agree?" Kol sneered before taking the lead down the hall.

Noah scowled but could do nothing else. Both Natalie and Noah, both subdued by men more than twice their size had no choice but to follow him.

**So what do you all think? I know there was no Kara in that chap but yay Kol! And we are out of the prologue territory now and in 1864 so I feel like the story can properly begin! ****J****Like I've said before if you have any ideas or comments let me know, I would be so happy to know whether you are liking the story or if it's going the way you want or not. I promise the next chapter won't be as long a wait, I already have it started ****J****Thanks again! xxxxxx**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: So I am getting really excited now with this story and the direction it's going in. Thank you to those of you who followed/ faved this story from the last chapter, your ongoing support means the world to me and if you have any suggestions, ideas, likes, dislikes about any of the story please feel free to review or even to PM if you don't want anyone else to see. Thank you so much to MissKymm who reviewed the last chapter and gave me some amazing ideas. There is nothing more annoying than when you follow a story whether fanfic or otherwise and your loving it and suddenly one chapter changes your mind about it completely….so let me know please people! **

Mystic Falls

1864

Kara Liliana Stefanie Salvatore had been named after three people. Kara's grandparents on her mother's side hailed from a small village in Ireland and so her first name was derived from the old word in Gaelic, chara, which meant friend. Her mother had said that that is what she wanted to be to her, both her mother and her friend. It saddened her sometimes that she knew that she would never get the chance but it warmed her heart to think that she had planned to. Her middle name, Liliana was given to her at birth by her father. It had been his favourite aunt's name and he had declared that she may not always hold the name Salvatore but she will still hold her Italian roots somewhere in her name. Stefanie had come about the day of her confirmation, a roman -catholic tradition and being part Italian part Irish there was no way she would have been allowed to not have one. She was eleven at the time and had been all set to take the name Juliet after her favourite Shakespeare play when she had had a massive argument with her older brother Stefan. It was over something silly, stupid even. Stefan had received a beautiful chess set that year for his birthday and absolutely adored it. One day when Kara had been playing with it a piece had gone missing, the white rook and though she searched everywhere she couldn't find it. She eventually told the truth, to both her father and her brother and although Giuseppe was disappointed he was grateful for her honesty and did not punish her and even promised Stefan he would contact the craftsman who made the set in the first place in order to replace the piece. Stefan had been so angry with her he didn't talk to her for days. It was a childish thing to do and even he would admit it now but at the time he had been so angry.

Her confirmation was set to take place the following Sunday and even though he begged and pleaded not to Stefan was forced to go. It was only when she was up on the pulpit did she confirm her name that she was taking to be Stefanie. The Bishop had not been too happy and urged her to take a name of a saint which was more well- known but she refused and sat back in her seat with a small smile on her face for the rest of the service. Stefan couldn't stay angry with her after that and Damon, although insisting the whole time that Dana or Mona, coinciding with his name would have been better choices did admit that he was proud for what she did.

Now she sighed as she stared at herself in the full length mirror of her room. Despite the names she felt like she did not resemble any of her family. Her mother had been of average height, beautiful, blonde, slim but healthily and always had bright eyes, rosy cheeks and pinched lips. Dresses always looked like she wore them, not them wearing her. Looking back to herself in the mirror she went to tie the sash on her pale green dress worryingly noting that she must have lost more weight since the last time she wore this.

Kara, up to the age of eight was all set to mimic her mother in appearance but the disease she had had. The influenza had severely damaged her heart and lungs and made any cold or sniffle she could get almost life threatening to her. She seemed to always have very pale skin, especially on her face and dark circles rimming her eyes. It wasn't often that her cheeks were rosy and on the very rare occasion that they were she had her father and brothers checking her every two minutes for a fever. She was short, but carried it well as she was slim and small boned. At sixteen she reached roughly 5'1", 5'2.5" with her highest shoes on and that was barely reaching just under her brothers shoulders. Her hair was most likely the only thing she liked about herself. Long, blonde, shiny most of the time and styled the way she wanted it. She felt like at least that was something she could control about herself. She turned to the side and studied herself. She had already been corseted by her maid which she was delighted to see made her cleavage area stand out a bit more than it naturally did.

She had been instructed by her father to dress up tonight. It was very rare that she got to do that as she was never really allowed to go to any of the balls or parties that the neighbours held. Giuseppe would get very over-protective and insist that all of the ballroom dancing could not be good for her heart. He said tonight that he had a surprise and when she had seen Stefan giddily make his way upstairs to change for dinner she put together that he must already know what it was. It was strange to dress up in finery and put on a smile when Damon was out there somewhere fighting for a war. Fighting for his life and for the freedom of those who needed it. She and Damon were close, yes she adored Stefan and had the best of times with him but he seemed to take after their father in the view that she was some frail, sickly little girl. They hid things from her, sugar coated facts and dangers until they hardly resembled the truth that caused them in the first place. She knew they were only doing it to protect her and she knew she was sickly and frail, but if she was to die at a young age. From her heart stopping or her lungs failing or even if it was something completely unrelated like getting hit by a carriage then she wanted to live her life to the fullest now. Something that was impossible with her two personal bodyguards hindering her every outdoor movement. Damon acted differently towards her. She assumed it was the fact they he was older than Stefan when she became ill and had been used to treating her a certain way before her illness and now it would be foreign to treat her like she was to collapse at any given moment but sometimes, by the way he looked at her she thought he knew. Knew of her desires to be free of restraints and watchful eyes. He gave her that semblance of freedom. He would take her to the market and abandon her for an hour feigning an excuse about making a business deal or flirting with a barmaid. Both facts may have been true but she knew that neither would have taken an hour to do so and she was not needed to accompany him to complete either of them. She would sometimes just sit on a bench at the edge of the market and watch people move back and forth going about their own daily routine oblivious to the woes or elations of those walking a few feet beside them. Other times she would just browse the market stalls and roam in and out of the small local shops.

She was interrupted from her thoughts by a small knock on her door.

"Excuse me miss" the voice of her maid Sally spoke, the same maid who had laced up her corset earlier. She was one of the newest staff to the house, only arriving when Alice had left for "Family troubles". It was a common fact although kept hushed among the locals of the town that a year or so after Georgianna had died Giuseppe took up a tactless and scandalous affair with the maid named Alice, one of the maids had taken care of Kara while she was sick. A few months later it was discovered that she was pregnant with Giuseppe's child. It was haphazardly covered up. Kara herself did not know at the time but she had barely been ten. She was dismissed from the house but Giuseppe had set up a small cottage in a village a few towns over and would often go to visit his mistress and their son. Kara did not know her half-brother's name nor did she dare to ask. Most of the information she received from Damon who told her everything anyway without restraint. Stefan seemed a bit more closed off on the issue and always tried to deny in his head that the affair ever really happened.

"Yes, come in" Kara responded her voice slightly hoarse from lack of use.

The door creaked open revealing the slightly round brunette maid.

"Sorry to disturb you miss but your father is requesting to see you and master Stefan in his office before you go in for dinner".

Kara paused mid-way putting in her left earring and turned to her maid.

"Did he say why?" she asked mentally asking herself when she had last received a letter from Damon and fearing the worst when she realised it was over a week ago.

Sally shook her head.

"No miss only that it was about the surprise".

She relaxed a little deciding that her father would not entitle a conversation containing bad news as a "surprise", he was not that unfeeling.

"Thank you Sally, I'll just be a moment"

"Very good Miss" she said bowing her head slightly whilst leaving the room, presumably Kara thought to deliver the order to Stefan.

It took Kara a few more minutes to compose herself, to put on her second earing and to place the necklace that used to belong to her mother around her neck. It was a small token, gold with a small sapphire stone at the centre but she adored it. Looking back at herself in the mirror she could see that the object looked heavy on her chest, looked large on her skinny frame. She sighed as she tugged at a blonde ringlet making it sit behind her ear more neatly than it had been.

Knowing this was probably as good as she was going to look she left towards her father's office.

The house was unusual bustling with the servants running around all around as if setting up for something. Making her way down the stairs she spotted a few suitcases and trunks by the front door and froze trying to think who may be here. She knew it wasn't Damon; he wouldn't have as much luggage. Harry, one of the new footman appeared out of the dining hall with a large smile on his face. He went to take one of the suitcases Kara presumed to one of the guest rooms, he nodded and smiled further at Kara when he saw her and went to walk passed her up the stairs.

"Harry" she said stopping him with a hand on his arm "Who is it that's here?"

He wasn't much older than Damon; his uncle had been the butler who had died of the influenza when Kara had been a child. He had worked in the stabled as a boy and had worked his way up to the position he was in now.

"A lady Miss Kara" he said as he spoke "She's very beautiful, she's in the dining room right now" he said indicating to the double doors on the far side to which he had just returned from.

Kara nodded confused and dismissed him with the same nod of her head. It was strange to hear Harry, a devoted member of the household staff from a very you age speak so opening about his opinions of a guest of the house. She shrugged it off; it wasn't for her to caution someone on a slight slip of the tongue when the rest of their work had always been so terribly proper. As she made her way to her father's study she could hear two voices in a hushed whisper speaking feverously about something. It was not common for Stefan and their father to argue, they always got on so impeccable well. Most of the time Kara thought that this was because they shared the same views and ideals. But they were father and son and some arguments were bound to happen. She stood close to the door and when she could hear a delay in one of their responses she knocked.

"Enter" she could hear the disgruntled voice of her father say and she did.

Stefan stood at the corner of Giuseppe's desk looking slightly more imperfect than usual whilst Giuseppe sat in the chair behind the desk looking all but relaxed.

"I'm sorry Father" Kara began "Shall I come back?" she said looking between the two men.

"Not at all Kara" he said with an instant smile on his face "Please come in".

He stood and made it to his daughter just as she closed the door.

"You look beautiful my darling" he said giving her a quick kiss on the forehead. She knew she didn't but she was grateful that her father had the good manners to lie to her like this. She faked a smile, one that her father could never ever see through.

"Thank you father".

"Take a seat" he said directing her to an empty chair in front of his desk while Stefan automatically pulled it out for her.

"Won't you sit Stefan?" she asked trying to get her older brother to forget whatever he and Giuseppe had been arguing about before.

Stefan nodded and sat on the sofa by the window a few feet away from the desk. Giuseppe sighed but continued.

"Well Stefan already knows this but when I was out today in Hatford conducting business.."

'Meeting with Alice' Kara thought in her head.

"…I happened upon a young lady in terrible strife"

This got Kara's attention and she looked up from her hands which she had become increasingly interested in when Giuseppe had mentioned his mistress's village.

"She was at the same train station as I when I was returning home and she told me that her family, all of them had died tragically in a terrible fire a few weeks ago and now she had nowhere to live"

"How terrible" Kara spoke shielding her mouth with her hand in shock.

"Quite" Giuseppe agreed "So I decided to invite her and her maid to stay with us, until she gets herself organised that is".

"Despite everything" Stefan spoke "I think that that is a wonderful idea".

Stefan stopped and his eyes got glassy and dreamy.

"She's a wonderful girl" he smiled to himself seemingly unaware that anyone else in the room could hear.

Giuseppe turned to him and looked stern again.

"Yes she is, and the last thing she needs right now is to be pursued by a man who is already engaged to be married".

"I'll break off my engagement with Rosalyn" Stefan pleaded and Kara's eyes went wide with shock.

"You would break off your engagement with Rosalyn to pursue a woman you met an hour ago?" Kara asked.

"Oh Kara you haven't met her yet have you? When you do you'll understand".

"That's enough of this talk" Giuseppe spoke standing up again "You will not break off your engagement with Rosalyn Cartwright, you will not disgrace this family with any more scandal".

"Me disgrace the family?" Stefan yelled irked at the pure irony of his father's statement. That sentence seemed to sober his father up at what he was saying and the truth behind it. He calmed his demeanour somewhat before speaking again.

"Stefan you have known Rosalyn all of your life, you were friends before you began courting. Just think about it before you make any rash decisions alright? That's all I ask"

Stefan nodded still looking unhappy with the decision.

"Very well father"

Giuseppe then turned his attention to his youngest child.

"Kara I feel I should warn you that, despite this lady's beauty and clearly noble upbringing she is very outspoken. I felt I should warn you before you meet her, do not look at her as an example to imitate"

"Yes father" Kara smiled somewhat but was extremely curious to meet the woman who seemed to have bewitched both her father and her brother.

Their father stood.

"Very good, then shall we?" he said opening the door chivalrously for his daughter. Kara emerged into the hallway first but waited for Stefan to take the lead towards the dining room which he enthusiastically did.

When the double doors opened Kara could see passed Stefan a few of their servants setting a few things on the table and a siluette shading some of the light from the window from entering the room.

She could already tell from the door that it was a woman.

"Ah Miss Pierce" Stefan spoke rushing over to her when he saw her "I trust you found your room well equipped for your needs"

The woman, the Miss Pierce turned from the window to look up at Stefan with her big almond eyes. She was beautiful Kara noted. She had tanned skin, long brown hair and a dress that hugged parts of her the way it should.

"Yes Mr Salvatore" she said a smile turning her lips up while she said his name as she was receiving some type of pleasure while saying it "Your family has been so kind as to let me stay here, your house is so beautiful" She gazed wistfully around her seemingly taking in every inch of décor of the room before her eyes fell on Kara who was standing with Giuseppe at the door. She cleared her throat and looked from Kara back to Stefan. Stefan followed her gaze to behind him where he also spied his sister.

"Oh forgive me, where are my manners" he spoke opening his arms wide indicating for Kara to come forward. She complied and stood next to her brother feeling more and more inadequate by the second.

"This is my little sister, Miss Kara Salvatore. Kara this is Miss Katherine Pierce"

"It's a pleasure to meet you Kara" Katherine said taking Kara's hand in her two gloved ones. She smiled sweetly but Kara noticed that it did not quite reach her eyes.

"And you" Kara smiled back.

"Shall we take a seat?" Giuseppe asked spying the lavishly dressed table all set with flowers and candles.

They all gathered around the table, Stefan hovering by the seat next to Katherine's chosen chair. He pulled it out for her eliciting a flirty smile from the house guest. Kara sat down in the seat her father had pulled out for her, directly in front of Katherine. Kara watched the older girl's mannerisms noting that she did not look at all awkward in this foreign situation. The air of confidence she emitted was somewhat intriguing to her.

"So Katherine" Giuseppe started up "Where are you from?" he asked taking a sip of his newly poured wine as he waiting for her to answer.

For some reason, Kara noted she looked a little unsure of what to say.

"I'm from a lot of different places actually" she replied she too taking a sip of the red wine on the table.

"Where were you born then?" he asked.

"New York" she replied falsely shifting her gaze down to her meal.

"Oh how lovely, I spent some time there in my youth. Do you have family there?"

"Not anymore" she said hopelessly wanting to conclude the conversation about her.

"I am so very sorry about your family Katherine" Kara spoke finally "It is very brave of you, putting on a front like this but know that we will not judge you if you choose to be upset over the matter".

"Thank you" Katherine said gazing at the female Salvatore with tears in her eyes that she had conjured up for the performance "I just don't wish to think about it at present, it is still too raw for me to even comprehend".

Kara reached for her hand over the table to comfort her and Katherine all but jerked it away.

"I understand".

"So" Katherine spoke wiping away her faked tears with her napkin "What is it you do for fun around here?"

She had directed her question to Kara but Kara had diverted it to Stefan with one glance.

"I wouldn't know" Kara spoke "I'm not allowed to have much fun around here".

Katherine went to question this further before Stefan answered.

"Well there are a lot of balls and partied, especially this time of year. One of the founding families, the Lockwood's is having a founder's ball this year. If you want to…"

Giuseppe cut him off right there.

"That reminds me" he said moving to reach into the inside pocket of his dinner coat "I received a letter from Damon today".

"Is he well?" Kara asked suddenly worried again.

"Yes Kara he's quite well" Giuseppe responding with a small smile.

"Who is Damon?" Katherine asked looking both bewildered and interested.

"Our oldest brother" Kara replied "He is away fighting in the war presently".

Katherine nodded taking in the information.

"He is to return" Giuseppe spoke "In one week"

"He has acquired leave?" Stefan asked also looking genuinely excited.

"He has, for two weeks. He and George Lockwood are to return to celebrate Founders day with us"

"That is truly excellent news Father" Kara spoke beaming.

Katherine sat back and observed them before raising her glass in a toast.

"To returning loved ones" she said.

"To returning loved ones" they all echoed back each clinking their glasses with one another's.

**Hey everyone…So what did you think? So Katherine's arrived and Damon is on his way, it's all beginning to look slightly familiar now isn't it? ****J****Any comments and/or criticisms/ questions are totally welcome. Thanks for reading!xxxxxx**


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